Jo Ann Ross, the long-running queen of television advertising sales, is stepping down from her role as chairman of Paramount Advertising at the end of the month, the company said.
A year ago Ross was named chairman, taking an advisory role to Paramount Advertising president John Halley.
The new move comes weeks before the upfront. Before CBS merged with Viacom to form Paramount, Ross was renowned for appearing in a variety of costumes at CBS’s annual upfront presentation at Carnegie Hall.
“Jo Ann has steered our advertising business from one milestone to the next. She oversaw the successful integration and evolution of our combined ad sales organization in the midst of the pandemic. She was also instrumental in reimagining our Upfront last year, a format that others have tried to replicate. More recently, Jo Ann was essential in our efforts to deliver a historic Super Bowl LVIII that set a record for viewership and gross ad revenue, topping off an impressive roster of storied Super Bowls since joining CBS in 1992,” Paramount CEO Bob Bakish said in a memo to staff.
Bakish also noted Ross’s role as a breaker of glass ceilings, becoming the first woman to head ad sales for a major broadcast network.
"Above all, Jo Ann cares deeply about her teammates, clients and peers — relationships built around trust, respect and reliability as hallmarks of her character and trailblazing career,” Bakish said. “Her passion for her work and determination to win have made Paramount a must-buy and key partner to the biggest advertisers in the world. And, under the continued leadership of John Halley, the sales organization is well positioned for future success.”
